Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Access to justice for women and girls in Somalia remains severely constrained by structural, legal, and institutional barriers. An estimated 80–90 per cent of disputes, including gender‑based violence (GBV) cases, are resolved through the customary Xeer system, which does not recognize women as independent legal actors and frequently prioritizes clan reconciliation over survivor rights and accountability. Between July and September 2023, 2,823 GBV cases were reported nationally, including 714 cases of sexual violence; however, only four per cent of survivors reported incidents to security institutions, and none of these cases resulted in prosecution.

The formal justice system offers limited recourse. Somalia lacks standalone GBV legislation, marital rape is not criminalized, legal aid services are scarce, and women remain acutely under‑represented across the justice sector. There is currently only one female judge nationwide, and women constitute less than ten per cent of lawyers, factors that significantly deter survivors from engaging with formal legal processes and sustain cycles of impunity.

These challenges are further intensified in Galmudug State, where protracted conflict, inter‑clan disputes, recurrent displacement, and climate‑related shocks in Mudug and Galgaduud regions have heightened GBV risks, particularly for women and girls living in IDP settlements. In this context, the availability of trained female legal professionals capable of providing survivor‑centered, ethical, and effective GBV case management within the formal justice system remains critically limited. It is against this backdrop that the Galmudug Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs formally requested UN Women’s technical support to strengthen the capacity of female lawyers to manage GBV cases. In response, UN Women Somalia will support the delivery of a three‑day GBV case management training in Dhuusamareeb from 10 to 12 May 2026 for 10 female lawyers and 5 department directors from the Ministry.

The consultant will be engaged in designing and delivering the training in line with international standards and survivor‑centered approaches. This consultancy directly contributes to Outcome 1.1 of the UN Women Somalia Strategic Note 2026–2030, which prioritizes strengthening justice institutions, advancing women’s access to justice, and expanding survivor‑centered GBV services as core elements of inclusive and accountable governance.
The consultant will be reporting to the Country Program Manager, and will be supported by the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Team, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Scope of Work:

Training design 

• Develop a structured GBV case management training curriculum tailored to the Galmudug context;
• Integrate international and national GBV frameworks, survivor-centered principles, and ethical and professional standards;
• Integrate case studies and role plays, relevant to the Galmudug context;
• A finalized training plan will be developed in consultation with UN Women to refine training content as needed.

Training delivery:

• Deliver a 3-day in-person training in Dhuusamareeb from 10-12 May 2026 for 15 participants;
• Facilitate sessions covering:
  • GBV concepts and types;
  • Legal and court procedures;
  • Evidence handling;
  • Referral pathways;
  • Coordination with service providers;
  • Galmudug-specific GBV analysis.

Assessment 

• Design and administer pre‑ and post‑training tests to assess changes in knowledge and skills;
• Analyze and summarize learning outcomes. 

Reporting 

• Produce a concise, well-structured training report, clearly summarizing;
• Training content and methodology;
• Participant profile and attendance;
• Pre/post‑test results;
• Key outcomes, challenges, and recommendations
   

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Deliverables:

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Training design and facilitation skills: Ability to design and deliver participatory and context-appropriate training for legal professionals.
• Analytical and contextual understanding: Ability to analyze legal and institutional gaps affecting GBV response, and to adapt training content to the specific context of Galmudug State.
• Reporting skills: Ability to produce clear reports and guidance with in-depth analysis and strategic recommendations in English.
• Professional integrity: Strong commitment to confidentiality and do-no-harm principles when working on GBV-related issues.

Required Qualification:

Education and Certification:

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in International Development, Human Rights, Law or related field, with a strong expertise in Gender;
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience in GBV case management and legal response to GBV;
• At least 5 years of experience in training/facilitation, ideally with legal professionals;
• Strong preference for a consultant/trainer local to Galmudug or with demonstrated contextual knowledge of the region;
• Excellent analytical skills with a strong drive for results and capacity to work independently;
• Experience working with multi-stakeholder organizations, such as governments, CSOs, and the UN/ multilateral/bilateral institutions, is desirable;
• Excellent English communication and writing skills.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Somali is required.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.